West Virginia Democrat. [volume] (Charles Town, W. Va.) 1885-1890, 1887-07-08
HARpER's FERRY LETTER.
HAPPENS FERRY, June 2S.


law and order is firmly established,
| and it is proposed to present to His
Honor, the Mayor, pair of white
gloves, as is the custom in England
when circuit Judge visits county
to hold court and finds the jail emp
ty and no criminals to try. The GER
emory will be particularly appropri-
ate in the case of Mayor Chambers,
for it will imply that there acas a
time when he found it expedient to
handle offenders scithout gloves, but
that there is no longer any necessity
for stringent measures.
The excursions to Byrne's Island
or Island Park as it is now called,
are, this season, happily limited in
number and the patrons confined al
together to the colored race. We
have few tears to shed on this ac-
count, and if the present patrons too
should take notion to abandon the
place for some more convenient spot
we could manage, even then. to find
consolation. Those excursions have
been of no benefit to us. The par
ties attending them nearly always
bring with them a caterer of their
own and it too often happens that
our town is put to heavy expense to
keep the peace between them, besides
having its own good name furnished
by their unruly behavior. A few
days ago, on the occasion of one
of those frolics, we strolled to the
Park, attracted by the portentious
sound of unrestrained revelry, which
reached the town nearly mile dis
tant. Some five hundred sons and
daughters of Ham were enjoying
themselves with the abandon pecul-
lar to that race, and we could not
help asking ourselves if the great
desideratum of this life be the acqui
sition of happiness, what great adj
vantage have we Caucasians over
those unsophisticated children of
Nature Wepursue the great treas
ure with rule and compass and too
often miss it-they are led by natu-
raj instinct alone and never fail to
find perfect contentment. This par
ty had with them the Monumental
Cornet Band, an organization of col
ored musicians dressed in q stunning
uniform of blue, with brass buttons
and facings of barbaric gorgeous
ness. From their towering helmets
nodded plumes worthy of the ''crest-
tossing Hector" and on their shout
ders were epaulets as big as old fash
toned pillows. The pride, pomp and
circumstance were glorious to behold
and oh! what must they have been TO
feel. The music was worthy Of the
impressive appearance of the per-
formers and, though perhaps faulty
to critical ears, was spirited and
very agreeable to our not very fastid-
ious taste. The dancers too perform
cd very creditably and exhibited
much of the poetry of motion not
withstanding q great deal of absurd
mincing and aflectation. We would
not trade places with any of those
people, and yet it is certain that by
so doing we would be great gamers
in contentment and exemption from
care.
For some time we have had ru-
NOR here-conGrmcd by your last is
sue-that our Governor was, by in
vitation, to address the Braves of
Tammany to-day. Some say he is
to make "the big talk and others
that he is confined to 1.-THE little talk. "
If the latter be true we look forward
with dismay for "the big talk but
whatever role he appears in we will
read his speech any way, if it takes
us till Christmas, for we have q
great admiration for the plucky Har-
per's Ferry boy who, by his own I'M
aided energy and force of character
has risen to the highest office in the
State.
On Wednesday of last week DR..
William Cannon, talented and
very promising Young physician, OF
this place was united in marriage to
Miss Mary Carter, lately of Mon
tana but a native of this neighbor-
hood. They have our very best
wishes and prayers that their future
lives be an uninterrupted honey
moon and that the glorious sun OF
June that shone so brightly on their
nuptials prefgure long and bril-
liant career for the groom and a
long lease Of happiness for him and
his bride.
To-day we were gratified at meet
ing Richard Randolph MacMahon,
Deputy Second Comptroller of the
Treasury who is here on flying Wis
it. Mr.. MacMahon is gentleman
of rare accomplishments and, al
though he is yet quite young, he has
already made his mark in life. If
it be true that "blood will tell" there
would he little excuse for ms failure
to distinguish himself, for we need
not tell Vlrginians what the Ran
dolphs were and are, and nobody
need tell as of the family that fur
nished so many heroes to the cause
of Ireland and marshal and a pres
ident to France. His father was
our school-mate long, long ago, in a
far away land and, moreover he is a
! ,oDbau- nv ,,,arri ra RI our tfup and